Chapter 26: Chapter 25- What's Next ?
He was clearly displeased by the taunt, and with a swift gesture of his hand, he commanded, "Annihilate this insect... and after that, I will exterminate all the humans following him." His voice boomed, laced with aggression that could instill fear into anyone's heart—anyone but me.
As I hovered a few inches above the ground, I observed more of the minions—more accurately, his soldiers—emerging from every corner of the room. At that moment, I realized that I was encircled by an overwhelming number of them.
These soldiers appeared more formidable than the ones I effortlessly dispatched earlier, and my Shadow clones had already dealt with some outside. These were... A-Rank Beasts. However, only six of them, positioned on either side of the boss's throne, were true A-Ranks.
"So... an S-Rank Boss, accompanied by over 100 soldiers nearing A-Rank," I mused.
It seemed that Chief Woo's re-evaluation of the gate's rank, as relayed by my clone from outside, was spot on—it was indeed an S-Rank Dungeon.
I stood there with hands in pockets, looking directly at the massive throne and meeting the Boss's gaze.
"Now, do you concede defeat, human?" he asked, conveying a sense of certainty in the outcome of the battle, as if expecting me to quail at the sight of his vast army.
I chuckled softly, meeting the boss's fiery gaze with unwavering confidence. "Loss? You're mistaken if you think numbers alone will decide the outcome here."
Ignarax's eyes flared with anger, the heat in the chamber intensifying. "Your arrogance blinds you, boy. This is your last chance to kneel before me and beg for mercy."
I shook my head slowly, smirking. "Mercy? I didn't come here to beg. I came to show you what real power looks like."
His patience finally snapped, Ignarax roared, "Enough of this insolence! Soldiers, obliterate him!"
"This is quite dull... Far too simple."
Excluding the six formidable ones flanking the throne, all the soldiers charged toward me simultaneously. The sheer quantity and speed of their advance made the ground tremble, almost as if an earthquake was occurring.
They rushed at me, wielding weapons that appeared to be forged from lava, just like their bodies, with handles of red obsidian, matching their molten form.
The first wave, perhaps thirty or so, leaped at me simultaneously while I remained in place, maintaining the same relaxed demeanor—it was just too effortless, embarrassingly so.
As the group of thirty lunged, drawing closer with their weapons poised to strike, the heat from their lava-forged blades intensified the room's already stifling temperature. But before they could reach me, they froze in midair, only inches away. Some rebound off an unseen force and tumbled backward.
"Let's make this exciting," I drawled, bringing my left hand out of my pocket. With a casual gesture, I activated the **Reverse Magical Energy Technique: Red**. A forceful wave burst outward, resembling a sudden explosion, propelling everything away. The soldiers that lunged toward me were flung backward, crashing into the cavern walls with tremendous force. On impact, they shattered into pieces, scattering as smoldering fragments across the floor.
As the echo of their fall faded, I turned my attention to the remaining troops, who were regrouping for another attempt. This challenge was just getting started.
"Let's keep this interesting," I said, my voice casual amidst the chaos.
With a subtle motion of my fingers, I activated **"Magical Energy Technique: Blue."** Instantly, a point of intense attraction formed in front of me, like a small but powerful vacuum. The soldiers felt its pull, dragged towards its center despite their struggles. They collided into each other, drawn into a chaotic cluster unable to resist the gravitational force.
Once they were tightly grouped together, I released them, letting them crash to the ground in a tangled heap. Their flames flickered out, leaving only the glow from the surrounding lava streams to illuminate the chamber.
Ignarax sat on his throne, looking down at the remains of his forces. His eyes burned with a mix of anger and surprise. This wasn't the easy victory he had anticipated.
"Still sitting there?" I called out, looking directly at him. "Are you going to get involved, or do I have to come to you?"
"Don't throw challenges you can't defend insect. You haven't defeated my soldiers yet,"
I hovered there, a confident smirk on my face as I met Ignarax's burning gaze. "I think the soldiers would disagree with you, judging by the pile of ash they've become."
Ignarax's eyes flared with a fury that matched the lava flows. "Your tricks may have taken some down, but you underestimate their numbers and my power."
I shrugged, letting my casual demeanor further incite him. "It's not the size of the army that matters, it's the strength of the warrior. Wanna test that theory?"
His molten form pulsed with energy, the room warming noticeably with his anger. "I'll crush that arrogance from you, and deliver your broken form to your world as a reminder."
I gestured to the empty expanse between his throne and me, unfazed. "Feel free to try. I'm always up for proving a point."